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How did you go from Vietnam to Latvia alone to open a Vietnamese restaurant? Vincent shared his story of opening a Vietnamese restaurant, Bep Viet, a casual Vietnamese restaurant located on the banks of the Daugava River in Riga.
How did you come to Latvia?
Born in southern Vietnam, I was an international student in Canada for a while at the age of 15 and later went to Australia to study, where I spent 9 years. At that time I was working part-time in a restaurant and had a keen interest in food.
When I was a child, I really liked the dishes my grandmother made, and I wanted to make dishes that I learned from her. So I started thinking about opening a Vietnamese restaurant in Europe. I decided to start my career and culinary journey in Latvia.
How much did you know about Latvia before moving here?
There are now a lot of TV shows all about Latvia, saying how beautiful and green the environment it is. We also spend a lot of time searching online. I think Latvia is a good place for my family.
Did you move here through a moving service?
We got a moving company, but I didn't want to name it. They helped me with all the paperwork.
What challenges have you encountered so far in the moving process?
language. I find that most Latvians, especially young people, speak English very well. Buying something in a place like the market can be difficult because seniors don't speak English, so you have to use body language to buy.
There are some cultural differences, but I've lived abroad so I'm used to it. For my wife, it was her first time in Europe, so she experienced some culture shock. Latvia doesn't have a lot of things that Asians use, and there aren't Asians, so we have to actively look for them.
Is there a Vietnamese community in Latvia?
We have a very small community of about 200 Vietnamese, which is not much compared to Poland or Finland. Everyone has their own business, so we're busy.
How did you build a social circle in Latvia?
It was helpful to open restaurants. When locals come to dinner, they may ask me to do something for them, such as the event I do at the Central Market in Riga. We also do social and use Facebook.
Because we buy Vietnamese stuff, we know each other by sharing. When I'm not here, I'm looking for a Vietnamese chef so I can pass on my recipes.
Is it difficult to source ingredients in Latvia?
I had to spend time in Poland, Finland, Germany and the Netherlands to buy Vietnamese ingredients. In Latvia, there are a lot of vegetarians, so I have to adjust my recipes. Usually I cook with meat. My latest menu is semi-vegetarian, including seafood.
I've been to several restaurants like Gambe, Riviera and Portofino. They don't have a lot of vegetarian options, so I thought Latvians like to eat meat. But many people have already started asking for vegetarian food.
What do Latvians like to eat?
Our spicy beef noodles are very popular. People order spicy food, which is a whole new experience for me because I think Westerners don't like to eat chili peppers. I buy sauces and chili peppers from Poland.
What should people know about Bep Viet?
We specialize in providing authentic and fusion foods. I'm from southern Vietnam, where the food is very different, so we want to get South Vietnam into the European food map. North Vietnamese food uses different ingredients such as fish sauce and pepper. We have sweet, sour, salty, bitter and spicy flavors. You have to find a balance between five people.
What are your plans for the future?
We're thinking about opening an Asian food supermarket and possibly a more luxurious restaurant. We were also invited to open a kiosk in Riga Central Market.
My wife is going to have her first child, so we're going to Latvia to experience family life.
Do you have the opportunity to explore Latvia in your free time?
I've been to Sigulda, Ventspils and Liepāja and tried some country restaurants. Compared to the dishes I've eaten in Budapest, the dishes here are pretty good, and the dishes there aren't fresh enough and not salty enough. I loved one of the places in Bauska. In general, I like to eat fish, duck and cheese bread.
What do you think of Latvian food?
I've been to France, Italy and other parts of Europe. Of course, Latvia can't compare with Italy, but compared to Hungary, Poland and Finland, I find Latvian food to be the best. It's balanced and fresh. I prefer Western fusion, more balanced. The chef was very good with salt. Delicious desserts. I'm a huge fan of Riviera restaurants.
Do you have any advice for people who intend to move to Latvia?
Arrange your finances! Find a relocation company to help move and start a business.
Further reading:
From the United States to Latvia, the immigrant story of American Joe, the latvian life experience
From Spain to Latvia, the entrepreneurial story of the Spanish IT brothers in Latvia
Profiles of 6 top international schools in Latvia, English and multilingual international schools
Why lithuanian and Latvian passports are the best in EU passports
Do Latvian passports and Czech passports require a visa to enter the United States?
An overview of the Latvian education system and schools in the capital Riga